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Sunday, 16 January 2011

No Impact Week - Day 8 - Eco-Sabbath

I'm afraid I didn't do very well today. I was to have planned a day of rest and relaxation but the weather wasn't fine enough for the walk I'd fancied, and I'd wasted so much time the day before that I was left with a long 'to do' list. So much for my New Year's resolution to be more organised!

However I'd still like to reflect on the week that has passed and what I've learned from my No Impact experience.

Day 1 (Consumption)It was no surprise to realise that I consume too much, but writing a list at the beginning of the week, and not just for food, was a good idea and might help reduce the likelihood of impulse buying.

Day 2 (Trash aka Rubbish)An opportunity hasn't arisen this week to use the no-waste travel pack I put together, but I'm sure its day will come. I have, however, been using the fabric shopping bag I've been carrying around with me in my handbag.

Day 3 (Transportation)Without appearing to blow my own trumpet I think I do pretty well in this area, so it's difficult to see what more I could do, except more of the same. Lobbying the government is the only other action that springs to mind. Not that it's likely to make any difference!

Day 4 (Food)Buying food from local independent retailers ties in very well with the Stop Sainsbury's campaign I'm involved in. I can't commit to living on a 250 mile radius diet but I can pay more attention to how my food's produced and whether the producers get a fair deal.

Day 5 (Energy)I can switch off lights and swathe myself in blankets, but I spend far too much time watching the telly and surfing the net. A lot of it can be justified on the grounds of entertainment or education, but there has to be a limit and I know I'm exceeding it by a long way.

Day 6 (Water)By far the biggest revelation was learning how much hidden water I'm using. I can't stop eating and drinking, but I can reduce my meat consumption, especially beef.

Day 7 (Giving Back)As with transport I'm already doing a fair amount but perhaps the time I'm going to save by cutting back on energy I can devote to other people instead.

Day 8 (Eco-Sabbath)My parents brought us up to keep Sunday special. We went to church and spent the rest of the day as a family, playing games, going on picnics, visiting friends etc. There's a lot to be said for taking time out from the normal routine. Next Sunday we've got friends coming round for lunch. Perhaps we should do so more often.

2 comments:

Seems like you've had a good week! Being involved with the No Impact Experiment has certainly made us think more seriously about the way we live (in particular - our road trips)! Eco-Sabbath is a great idea, we usually try & keep one day a week free for doing nice things together. Sharing a meal with friends is always an enjoyable time for us!

We meet every Tuesday evening with a small group of friends to eat, drink and discuss our lives, thoughts, faith etc. It's one of the highlights of my week.

One of the aspects of life in southern european countries that I envy (you'll have noticed this on your travels) is the time spent sitting drinking coffee, playing backgammon, shelling peas... I don't do nearly enough of it and I'm convinced my life is the poorer for it.

I'm thinking I might repeat this experiment at the beginning of every New Year to set me up for the rest of the year.